The objective of this research is to conduct a review of existing theories of English as a global language in the American international business community.

Project Abstract

AbstractThe status of the use of English in the American international business community, and how a better match can be made between the actual prevalence of English in these global working environments versus other languages. English in an international business setting is considered to be a global lingua franca, (A medium of communication between peoples of different languages  www.Dictionary.com) because of the spread of the language and the use of it as a second language in much of the global business community. The literature supports a shift from native-speakers of English to non-native speakers, who now out number native speakers four-to-one, making standards of English progressively difficult to maintain. As the world is in transition, so is the English language. This of course has always been true English has changed substantially over time. In many parts of the world English is taken into the fabric of social life and acquires a momentum and vitality of its own, developing in ways that reflect the local culture and languages.English is used in more communications functions than ever before. Nowhere is this more clearly defined than on the Internet. The Internet is an open system, and small countries, not to mention small merchants, are free to compete on it. The Internet reinforces English's status as the global language. As a lingua franca English is increasingly used among non-native speakers. Since any Website with international aspirations features an English version, anyone with some command of the language can virtually roam the world. It is likely that the future of English will be varied and complex. The language will grow in usage and variety. David Crystal has commented, There has never been a language so widely spread or spoken by so many people as English. There are therefore no precedents to help us see what happens to a language when it achieves genuine world status